By Jana Talley, Co-Editor of DUE Point, Jackson State University

The NSF Anti-Deficit Learning and Teaching: A Community Learning Project Centering Race, Gender, and Mathematics uses critical conversations in the classroom to facilitate shared understandings between instructors and students about how issues of race and gender impact their lives and the learning environment. Adi Adiredja tells us more about how this project is enhancing a campus-wide, inclusive learning community through mathematics courses at the University of Arizona.

Describe the relevancy of your project and why you believe it was a competitive NSF grant proposal?

I think there is an interest in projects focusing on university mathematics instructors, and for meaningful discussions of racism and sexism in the U.S. Our project does just that. We want to see how participating in the program can increase instructor awareness of the everyday realities of students’ lives as related to racism and sexism. We also want to know how such awareness can impact instructors’ practice of using inquiry to deepen students’ understanding of mathematics.

How have your own experiences as a researcher and a mathematician shaped this project?

The original idea of incorporating critical conversations about race and gender into the classroom came from reflecting on how racism impacted my journey as a mathematician. Over the years it led me to develop a theory and practice centered on anti-deficit teaching that shifts focus away from the obstacles that underrepresented students face and highlights the tools for success that they use to navigate STEM degrees and careers. I’ve witnessed how critical conversations about race and gender between students and graduate teaching assistants have proven to be valuable aspects of previous programs I’ve supported. Now this project focuses on the dynamics between students and instructors.

What new innovation does this project bring?

As described above, conversations about race among students and instructors as well as anti-deficit and culturally relevant professional development are indeed novel in post-secondary mathematics settings. We give explicit attention to anti-deficit mathematics teaching, combining inquiry practices and culturally relevant pedagogy.

My conversations with program officers made me realize that my project aligns with the IUSE goals by involving the entire university community to effect institutional change. Collaborating with the cultural centers on campus to bring more voices and stories into the discussion allows for campus-wide engagement. We also bring a novel perspective by framing this work as a community learning project involving not just the instructors and students, but also undergraduate mentors, graduate students, and the cultural centers on campus.

Tell us about one of the students that has been impacted by your work.

Osvaldo Estrella was a student and later a peer mentor for the project. Though he was initially very shy, his years of involvement in the project helped him to develop his voice as not only a student, but also a mentor and member of the campus community. He credits this to having safe spaces to talk with other students and professors about their lives and future goals. Osvaldo emphasized that though mathematics was the impetus of these conversations, the discussions around how their lives influence the way they learn mathematics and plan to use it in their careers was highly impactful. So much so that he plans to continue mentoring and creating space for others to enhance inclusivity throughout his career. You can read more about Osvaldo’s experiences in the Student Spotlight of Diversity in Action magazine (https://mydigitalpublication.com/publication/?m=46265&i=728026&p=84&ver=html5).

How will students/your institution/the community/the world be better off as a result of your project?

Frankly, an understanding of peoples’ shared humanities is the main goal of the project that includes as much of the university as possible. The project is designed to help our students and instructors relate and understand one another better. And this understanding will motivate a more explicit attention to teaching practices that humanize mathematics and consciously challenge racism and sexism in the classroom.

Learn more about NSF DUE (Award #) 2021313

Full Project Name: Anti-Deficit Learning and Teaching: A Community Learning Project Centering Race, Gender, and Mathematics

Abstract Link: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2021313&HistoricalAwards=false

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Project Contact: Adi Adiredja, adiredja@math.arizona.edu